250 EXTRACTS FROM THE CORRESPONDENCE. 



In September, 1863, I visited that region of country, vainly endeavoring to 

 get the Indians together in council. 



The general character of the country on the head of the Republican, corre- 

 sponds with other parts of the great plains, in being covered with the buffalo 

 grass on the clayey soils and bunch grass on the sandy hills. 



The valleys along the streams are exceedingly fertile, being covered with tall 

 grass, rushes, and other growths of luxuriant vegetation common to such locali- 

 ties in other parts of the country. 



On the Whiteman's fork, Rock creek, and Arickaree fork, I found high bluffs, 

 bounding rather narrow bottoms, the general surface of the country being 

 slightly rolling on the general level of the bluffs. For some twenty-five or 

 thirty miles east and west these bluffs show outcrops of a cretaceous limestone, 

 corresponding with the mauvaises terres north of it. 



This region has as yet been but little known. Captain J. 0. Fremont crossed 

 it in 1843, and Lieutenant Bryan, in his explorations for a wagon road from 

 Fort Riley to Bridger's pass, in the year 1856, on his return trip, passed down 

 Rock creek, but they appear to have given the country but a slight examina- 

 tion, as might be expected on such expeditions. From reports of parties who 

 have crossed the country south of this region on the dividing ridge between the 

 waters of the Platte and Arkansas rivers, near the 103° of west longitude, I am 

 led to believe this cretaceous formation extends for some distance southward 

 from the place that I visited on the occasion referred to. 



It is a mistake to call this region a desert, for throughout my trip across the 

 region at the head of the Republican, I found it everywhere covered with grass, 

 furnishing the best of pasturage for stock. 



Any further information that I can give will be cheerfully furnished. 



From William F. Given, United States Vice- Consul 



Martinique, St. Pierre, January 6, 1865. 



Sir : I have the honor to acquaint you with the circumstances attending a 

 very remarkable electric phenomenon which occurred in this city on the after- 

 noon of the 23d of November last, while I was absent in the United States. 



A heavy temperature, charged with electricity, had for several days pressed 

 on the town, during which time there had been many and violent showers of 

 rain. A sudden and heavy shower of rain had just ceased, when there came a 

 sharp and short detonation like the booming of a cannon, accompanied by a 

 flash of red light, and followed by the smell of burnt powder. At the same in- 

 stant cries were heard from a house in the principal street, the north end of 

 which had been struck by the lightning. On this end of the house there was 

 a projection, which was shattered, and the rubbles and tiles were almost 

 symmetrically thrown across the street. The fluid then passed along the houses 

 to the right, and down the front of one of these to a distance some two or three 

 feet below the level of the pavement ; then passing outwardly, without in any 

 manner deranging the pavement, which was of brick, it extracted from the side 

 of the gutter a flat stone, nearly half a yard in length by about ten inches wide 

 and eight thick. This stone was taken out of the gutter at a level with the 

 bottom without interfering in any way with the surrounding mason-work, and, 

 being taken by an oblique line upwards, was thrown against the house on the 

 opposite side of the street. Here it took out six slats of a Venetian window 

 and falling on the round table of the saloon, shattered its marble slab. 



